Page 59 of Beyond Oblivion

“…please bless Trent and Cami with a baby, or help Abby raise all the money they need for the adoption. Amen.”

“Amen,” everyone repeated.

“Aunt Cami’s pregnant?” Jessica cried, covering her mouth quickly.

“No, dummy, they’re adopting,” James said, frowning.

Trenton looked at me with wide eyes.

“No! No, not pregnant, still haven’t decided about adopting,” I said with a nervous laugh. “Thanks for the prayers, though, Olive, that was sweet.”

Trenton’s shoulders relaxed, and he worked to scale back his shocked expression. The chatter resumed, with multiple storylines about school, work, and cafeteria drama ricocheting back and forth like a fast-paced game of ping pong.

Still, an unease lingered beneath the surface. The tones of all the adults in the room shared the same desperation to ignore Olive’s prayer.

After the food slowly disappeared, the kids went outside to enjoy the sunshine in the freshly mowed grass. Travis and Trenton threw away the paper plates and plasticware and then returned to the table, adding to the noticeable silence between me, Abby, and Jim.

“Olive,” Trenton said. “Can you go keep an eye on the littles?”

“I can,” she said, standing. “You’re all going to miss the free babysitting when I leave.”

“First of all,” Trenton began, “quit saying you’re leaving. You’ll be across town. You’re never leaving me, so stop trying to make me cry. Second, you’re right, Travis and Abby are definitely going to miss the free babysitting.”

“Aw… Twent,” Olive said, hugging him from behind.

“Don’t do that, or I really will cry,” he said, patting her arms and then clearing his throat.

She pecked the top of his head and then turned on her heels, the front door closing behind her as she joined the kids in the yard.

After a solid minute of trying and failing to expose the elephant in the room, Trenton sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “So, uh… what was Olive talking about, Abby?”

Abby closed her eyes. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know she could hear us.”

“Hear who? Hear what?” Trenton asked, already irritated.

“Baby,” I warned.

“What’s he talking about?” Travis asked his wife.

Abby peered over to him, her eyes heavy with regret. “A few weeks ago, when I came to visit, I was talking to Dad about all of us maybe helping to raise funds to start the adoption process,” she looked to me with the same expression, “but only when you were ready.”

Travis looked at his brother, surprised. “I’m confused. Are you adopting or no?”

Trenton’s jaws flitted under his skin.

I put my hand over his. “We’re open to it, but we’re still trying to conceive on our own.”

After several beats, Trenton spoke. “I want to be really clear here. I don’t like the idea of you, or anyone, discussing our business when we’re not present.” His gaze was locked on Abby, his frustration clearly bubbling beneath the surface. “Especially in front of Olive.”

“Hey,” Travis said, tensing.

It was Abby’s turn to put her hand over her husband’s. “You’re right, and I’m mortified she heard us. It was careless and intrusive, and I’m sorry, Trent. And to you, too, Cami.”

“Just wait a goddamn minute,” Travis said. “You know her heart was in the right place, Trent. She loves you. She was just trying to help.”

“We didn’t ask for help,” Trenton seethed. “Now we’re going to have to explain to Olive why we’re not adopting yet. Do you have any idea how we’ll do that without absolutely destroying her? Because I sure fucking don’t!”

“Boys,” Jim warned.

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